Adrian Teh: Movies & Box Office

Adrian Teh Kean Kok, popularly known as Adrian Teh, was born on 1 September 1984 in Penang, Malaysia, and has emerged as one of the most dynamic forces in contemporary Southeast Asian cinema. From an early fascination with storytelling and visual media, Teh pursued a career that would blend business acumen with creative vision, eventually founding ACT 2 Pictures where he serves as Chief Executive Officer, steering the company toward ambitious productions that span multiple languages and genres. His multicultural background and fluency in both Mandarin and Malay have enabled him to bridge diverse audiences, positioning him as a pivotal figure in the evolution of Malaysia’s film industry. PASKAL: The Movie (2018) marked a historic milestone as Malaysia’s first military action‑packed feature based on true events, achieving RM30.08 million in box‑office revenue across Malaysia and Singapore and cementing Teh’s reputation for high‑stakes, commercially successful storytelling. Building on this momentum, he directed WIRA (2019), an action‑driven Malay film that enlisted Indonesian action star Yayan Ruhian to choreograph combat sequences, showcasing Teh’s commitment to world‑class production values. In 2020 he ventured into romantic comedy with Pasal Kau! (All Because Of You), notable for being the first Netflix Malaysian original released in over 190 countries, and also pioneered the suspense‑thriller series Model Family, the inaugural original production for Celestial Tiger Entertainment / Thrill. Recognized by Tatler Asia as the 2021 Asia Most Influential MY, Tead’s influence extends beyond film; he founded the Chinese Film Association of Malaysia in 2012 and launched the Golden Wau Awards in 3 2013, championing Chinese‑language cinema in the region. His accolades include being named a Top‑10 Outstanding Youth of Malaysia in 2016 (JCI TOYM) and ranking among the 100 Most Influential Young Entrepreneurs (MIYE 2016). With the release of MALBATT: Misi Bakara in August 2023 – the most expensive Malaysian film to date – Teh continues to redefine the scope of local filmmaking, blending cultural authenticity with global appeal, and inspiring a new generation of storytellers across Asia.